Nail feeder



1954 R. w. BRIMHALL 2,666,917

NAIL FEEDER Filed July 28, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet l uwuumm 7W 26, 1954 R. w. BRIMHALL 2,666,917

NAIL FEEDER Filed July 28, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Halon M B/"lbdi/l Attorney Patented Jan. 26, 1954 UNYEED STATES FATENT OFFICE NAIL FEEDER Rulon W. Brimhall, Pleasant Grove, Utah Application July 28, 1950, Serial'No. 176,484

8 Claims.

This invention relates to a novel holder and dispenser for nails adapted to be worn by lathers, shinglers, carpenters and others using a large number of nails for supporting a large supply of nails and for feeding said nails to a position from which they can be readily removed with the left hand and in a position ready to be driven.

More particularly, it is an aim of the invention to provide an apparatus wherein a number of nails can simultaneously be withdrawn by the user between the thumb and index finger of the left hand and with the nails so disposed relatively to one another that the nails are positioned to be driven one after another commencing with the nail positioned between the tips of the thumb and index finger.

A primary aim of the present invention is to provide a device to be worn on the body for holding a large supply of nails and which will make it unnecessary for a workman to place nails in the mouth thereby avoiding the constant danger of infection from harmful substances in the nails and from dirt which enters the stomach and eventually the blood stream of workmen who resort to the practice of placing nails in the mouth.

Another important object of the invention is to provide a device which will feed by gravity augmented by the vibratory motion imparted to the device by the hammering operation for maintaining a constant feeding of the nails to an outlet end of the device and from which the nails can be quickly and easily withdrawn ready for use.

Still a further object of the invention is to provide a device which may be readily loaded and which due to its construction will afford a constant feed of nails to an outlet or discharge end thereof conveniently available for removal as desired.

Still another and important object of the present invention is to provide a gravity feed-type nail feeder having means to prevent the nails from being discharged therefrom by gravity and which additionally functions for causing the nails to automatically assume a position with the head porions thereof overlapping in such a way that when the nails are removed from the discharge end of the device between the thumb and index finger, the nails will be positioned so that they may be driven one after another without being adjusted with respect to the fingers thus enabling a number of nails to be simultaneously withdrawn from the feeder and successively driven from between the fingers and while held in the 2 same position as when the nails were extracted from the feeder.

Still a further object of the invention is to provide a nail feeder which will readily adapt itself to properly fitting the body of the wearer and for fitting workmen of different body sizes.

Various other objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafter become more fully apparent from the following description of the drawings, illustrating a presently preferred embodiment thereof, and wherein:

Figure 1 is a front elevational view, partly broken away and illustrating a preferred embodiment of the invention;

Figure 2 is a similar view on a reduced scale and showing the invention in an applied position;

Figure 3 is an elevational view looking toward the inner side of a representation ofthe left hand and illustrating in detail the position of a group of nails with respect to one another after withdrawal from the nail feeder;

Figure 4 is a vertical sectional View taken substantially along a plane as indicated by the line l-li of Figure 1 and wherein all convolutions are shown filled with nails;

Figure 5 is an enlarged vertical sectional view of a portion of the nail feeder, taken substantially along a plane as indicated by the line 55 of Figure 4;

Figure 6 is an enlarged fragmentary longitudinal sectional view of the outlet end of the nail feeder and showing the left hand as it would appear relatively thereto while grasping a plurality of nails to be extracted from the feeder and taken substantially along a plane as indicated by the line 6-6 of Figure '7;

Figure '7 is a cross sectional view of the outlet end of the nail feeder, on an enlarged scale, taken substantially along a plane as indicated by the line 7'i of Figure 1, and

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure '7 but looking in the opposite direction and showing the outlet end in a closed position.

Referring more specifically to the drawings, the feeding device for nails or headed driven fastenings, constituting the invention, is designated generally H3 and comprises a helically coiled tube H which is oval shaped in cross section from one end to adjacent the other end thereof, as best illustrated in Figures 4 and 5 and which is provided with a downwardly opening slot 12 in the bottom portion thereof and which extends from end-to-end of the tube 1 I, said tube being widened in substantially a horizontal plane so that the bottom wall thereof, provided with temper or a plastic of sufficient resiliency so that the convolutions of the tube and apron may be drawn apart but will ordinarily spring back to ward one another and into substantially the positions as illustrated in Figures 1, 2' ah'd' l. It

is contemplated that the tube and integral apron may be produced by an extruded process.

The nail feeder ii! is adapted to be disposed around the body of the user, as illustrated in Figure 2, from a point beneath the arm pits to a point adjacent the waist and the resiliency of its convolutions will enable the nail feeder Hi to be expanded in diameteror to resiliently contract'suiiiciently to fitrelatively'snug about the body. However, it is'preferred to provide a' positive support for the nail feeder H) as for example, a pair of shoulder straps 15 each of which has one end fastened to the front portion of the inner side of the upper convolution of the apron l3 and its opposite end fastened to the inner side of the rear portion of the upper convolution of the apron, as by suitable fastenings i6 and so that the shoulder straps 15 may then be positioned ov'er'theshoulders, as illustrated in Figure 2, for supporting the nail feeder I on the body. Obviously, if desired, any other suitable form of body engagin'gharness may be provided as for example having the shoulder straps crossed at the back of the wearer;

The bottom convolution" of the tube H is provided with an extension 5'! which projects substantially tangential from the helix formed by said tube and which is bent slightly "to extend upwardly toward its outer end andwhich is "disposed beyond the lower endof the apron I 3.

Said tube portion I! has a 'te'rininal'portion' l8 of circular cross section, as seen'Figu'res' 7 and 8, on which a sleeve I9 is mounted'a'nd'fric tionally retained adjacentth'e outer end or terminal thereof. The downwardly opening slot 52 continues to the term'irl'al'of the tube portions l1, l8 and the sleevei9 is'provided with a corresponding longitudinal slot 29' which'rnay be disposed in registry with theslot' 12', as seen in Figure '7 or out of registry therewith as seen in Figure 8.

The opposite, upper open end 2| of the tube ll constitutes its entrance or'loading end into which the heads 22 of nails or other driven fastenings may be inserted and with the shanks 23- increasing the pitch or decline of said tub e from its loading end 2| to its outlet end if! and so that the nails will readily'slide by gravity downwardly around the convolutions of the tube for completely filling the nail feeder 10, as illustrated in Figure 2. with various numbers of convolutions for holding The nail feeder ltmay be provided" any desired number of nails, as for example, from five hundred (500) to one thousand (1,000) nails. While thus loading the nail feeder ill the sleeve [9 which functions as a closure is moved to its position of Figure 8 so that its slot 20 is out of alignment with the slot l2 to prevent the nails from being prematurely discharged from the outlet end it while the tube convolutions are spread apart to increase their pitch. After the tube H has been completely loaded the convolutions thereof are permitted to return by the resiliency of the apparatus to their normal positions and with the bottom edge of each convolution of the apron l3 disposed above and adjacent the convolution of the tube I, located therebeneath. The apron 53 extends downwardly sufficientlyv from the tube ll so that its bottom edge is below the pointed ends of the nail shanks 23, asb'est' illustrated in Figures 4 and 5.

Assuming that the nail feeder is loaded with nails and applied to the body'of the user, as illustrated in Figure 2, the upper inlet end 22 of the tube H will be disposed at the front of the body and beneath the right shoulder of the wearer W and the tube portion i7 will project laterally from the front of the body away from the left side thereof adjacent the waist line. After the nail feeder I0 is in an applied position as seen in Figure 2, the closure E9 is turned to align its slot 29' with the slot [2 and the tube end I2 is conveniently disposed so that the shanks 23 of a group of nails 24 may be grasped between the thumb and index finger and withdrawn from the tube H through its outlet end i8 in a position as illustrated in Figure 3 with the nails ready to be driven by means of a hatchet or other driving implement 25, held in the right hand. Due to vibration of the feeder it by movement of the body of the workman W in driving the nails 24 and due" to the pitch of the convolutions of the tube H, the nails 2 lwill continue to feed toward the outlet end l8 but the upturned tube portion ll will prevent the nails from sliding by gravity out of the outlet end It, so that th'e'nails will be retained adjacent theoutlet end I 3, as illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, ready to be grasped between the thumb and index finger of the left hand and removed. As best illustrated in Figures 4 and 5, the apron'lt extends downwardly from each convolution of the tube H to beneath the pointed lower ends of the nails 24 and thereby functions as a shieldto prevent the nail shanks 2'5 from coming in contact with the clothing of the worker and thereby being obstructed in their sliding movement'toward the tube portion ll. The tube ll and'slot l2 are machined accurately so that thenail heads and nail shanks will not bind in the tube II and slot l2.

An important feature of the invention is best illustrated in Figure 6. As the nails 2-3 reach the upwardly inclined tube portion ll and cease to slide by gravity, each nail will rock on its head 22 as a fulcrumdue to the weight of its shank 23 so that the portion of the nail head nearest the outlet 58 will be in contact with the tube and the nail head portion remote to the outlet 48 will be elevated relatively to the tube bottom i l. Consequently, the nail immediately therebehind will have its nail head slide under the head of thenail in advance thereof, as illustrated in Figure 6, so that each nail head consecutively from the outlet end 58 back toward the point where the tube portion '1 is bent upwardly will partially overlap the nail head of the nail immediatelybehind'it. Asa result, when a group of nails are withdrawn by the left hand, as seen in Figures 3 and 6, between the thumb and index finger, the last nail between the tips of the thumb and finger will have its head overlapped partially by the nail adjacent thereto and so on in this manner to the nail which is located adjacent the root of the thumb and index finger. Conse- L-tly, when group of nails are thus withiey may be held as withdrawn and driven ly by the driving implement commencing with the nail located adjacent the tips of the thumb and index finger successively to the nail located adjacent the root of the thumb and index finger. This enables the nails to be much more rapidly withdrawn than driven and could otherwise be accomplished if the nails had to be adjusted in the left hand after being removed from the nail feeder.

Various modifications and changes are contemplated and may obviously be resorted to, without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as hereinafter defined by the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. A holder and dispensing device for headed fasteners comprising a helically coiled tube forms-c of a resilient material including a plurality of convolutions disposed one above the other, said tube having a slot in the bottom thereof extendin from end-to-end of the tube, said tube being adapted to receive therein the heads of a plurality of fasteners the shanks of which are adapted to extend downwardly through said slot, the convolutions of the tube being pitched whereby the fasteners will slide therealong from the end of the upper convolution to the end of the lower convolution.

2. A holder and feeding device for headed fasteners as in claim 1, said tube being substantially oval-shaped in cross section and having a relatively wide bottom wall, and said slot being disposed intermediate of the side edges of the tube.

3. A feeding and holding device for headed fasteners as in claim 1, said tube being substantially oval-shaped in cross section and having a relatively wide bottom wall, said slot being disposed intermediate of the inner and outer edges of the tube, and an integral apron extending downwardly from said bottom wall between the slot and the inner edge of the tube having a bottom edge disposed below the lower ends of the shanks of the fasteners.

l. A device for holding and feeding headed fasteners as in claim 1, said tube having an upwardly inclined extension forming a continuation of its bottom convolution and extending substantially tangentially therefrom, the terminal of said extension constituting the outlet end of the device.

5. A device for holding and feeding headed fasteners as in claim 1, said tube having an upwardly inclined extension forming a continuation of its bottom convolution and, extending substantially tangentially therefrom, the terminal of said extension constituting the outlet end of the device, said terminal of the extension being of circular cross section, and a closure mounted on said terminal comprising a sleeve rotatably disposed thereon having a slot extending longitudinally therethrough and movable into registry with the slot of the extension whereby the fasteners may be dispensed from said terminal or out of registry with the slot of the extension to prevent the fasteners from being removed from the terminal of the extension.

6. A feeding and holding device for headed fasteners as in claim 1, said tube being substantially oval-shaped in cross section and having a relatively wide bottom wall, said slot being disposed intermediate of the inner and outer edges of the tube, and an integral apron extending downwardly from said bottom wall between the slot and the inner edge of the tube having a bottom edge disposed below the lower ends of the shanks of the fasteners, said tube having an upwardly inclined extension forming a continuation of its bottom convolution and extending substantially tangential therefrom, the terminal of said extension constituting the outlet end of the device, said apron terminating at the inner end of said extension.

7. A device for holding and feeding headed fasteners as in claim 1, said tube having an upwardly inclined extension forming a continuation of its bottom convolution and extending substantially tangentially therefrom, said tube and the portion of said extension located adjacent the bottom convolution of the tube being substantially oval-shaped in cross section and having a relatively wide bottom wall, the terminal of said extension constituting the outlet end of the device, said upwardly inclined extension obstructing the gravity feed of the headed fasteners adjacent the lower end of the tube and causing said fasteners to fulcrum in the extension on the heads thereof whereby the head of each fastener in the tube extension will overlie the head of the fastener disposed therebehind.

8. A device for holding and feeding headed fasteners as in claim 1, and an apron formed integral with the tube and extending downwardly therefrom between an inner edge of the tube and said slot, the bottom edge of the apron being disposed beneath the lower ends of the fastener shanks.

RULON W. BRIMHALL.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 285,510 Perry Sept. 25, 1883 626,987 Dineson et al June 13, 1899 710,324 I-Iylard Sept. 30, 787,217 Plank Apr. 11, 1905 795,912 Hebert Aug. 1, 1905 969,934 Ballard Sept. 13, 191i) FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 20,862 Great Britain 1897 

